At just 27, Sophia Dunkley has etched her name into the history of The Women’s Hundred. Representing Welsh Fire in the ongoing fifth edition of the competition, Dunkley, ahead of their game against Birmingham Phoenix on 22nd August, at Edgbaston, stood only 23 runs away from the coveted 1,000-run milestone, a feat only two players, Nat Sciver-Brunt (Trent Rockets) and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge (Southern Brave), have got to so far.
Dunkley becomes just the third cricketer in tournament history to scale the four-figure mark, an entry into an exclusive club that symbolises both consistency and impact at the top level of the women’s game. She entered the 1,000 runs club when she scored her 23rd run of her innings in the set bowled by Georgia Voll from Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston.
Dunkley’s journey in The Hundred began on 24th July 2021, when she was handed her debut for Southern Brave against Trent Rockets at Nottingham. From the very outset, she established herself as a dependable and aggressive top-order presence. In two productive seasons with the Brave, Dunkley accumulated 437 runs across 16 innings, striking at 130.44 and averaging a staggering 36.41. Along the way, she registered two unbeaten half-centuries, cementing her reputation as a batter with both stability and flair.
The third edition brought a fresh challenge, as Dunkley made the move to Welsh Fire. With the red jersey came the responsibility of mainly opening the innings, and Dunkley has shouldered it admirably. In her time with Fire, she has scored 593 runs across 21 innings, maintaining a strike rate of 128.35 and an average of 29.65, including five half-centuries that provided crucial top-order stability.
Among her memorable knocks, her 69* off 47 balls against Manchester Originals in July 2024 stands tall. In that innings, Dunkley exhibited her complete range, measured strokeplay early on and powerful acceleration towards the death. It was a Player-of-the-Match performance that exemplified her ability to control an innings and anchor Welsh Fire’s batting line-up.
In the ongoing 5th edition, Dunkley has so far contributed 179 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 120.13 and an average of 29.83. Most notably, she scripted a crucial half-century, 56 off 41 balls against Oval Invincibles on 16th August 2025, a timely reminder of her class and match-winning potential.
These latest efforts, another impressive half-century 53 (43 balls), have pushed her career tally to 1,030 runs from 38 matches (37 innings), at an overall strike rate of 129.23 and an average of 32.18, including seven half-centuries to date. Her numbers not only make her Welsh Fire’s batting linchpin but also place her as the third-highest run-scorer in the history of the Women’s Hundred, trailing only Sciver-Brunt and Wyatt-Hodge.
Dunkley’s milestone is more than just a statistical achievement; it is also symbolic of her growth across five seasons of the Hundred. From an eager 22-year-old debutant at Nottingham to a senior batter now steering Welsh Fire’s fortunes, she has embodied resilience, adaptability, and the ability to rise when her team needs her most.
Surpassing the 1,000-run mark firmly underlines Dunkley’s pedigree as not just a key run-getter for her franchise but also as a bona fide T20 specialist whose impact in women’s cricket continues to grow with each passing season.
As Welsh Fire chase momentum in the tournament, Sophia Dunkley’s milestone provides an added layer of excitement and pride. She has joined Sciver-Brunt and Wyatt-Hodge in that elite bracket, a club that defines excellence at the very top of the order in the Hundred. For Dunkley, it is a reward for years of grit, consistent performances, and the relentless pursuit of runs.
